1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to so called automatic fishing devices, which are held in the ground by a spike or secured to a boat's gunwale, in which a pole is held against a spring bias which tends to pull the pole from a position toward the water to a position away from the water, and a trigger activated by a fish tugging on the line to release the rod.
2. Prior Art
There are many patents on automatic fishing devices, and they all have some parts in common. The automatic fishing devices all have some type of frame for setting in the earth or mounting on a firm base, e.g. a boat's gunwale. The devices have a pole holder, usually a tube, and a spring biasing the pole holder upright, away from the water. Each device includes a latch to secure the pole holder down and under spring tension and means for releasing the latch so that the pole is pivoted away from the water. The following patents are representative of the prior art, with a discussion of the latch and release means.
Hamrick U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,746 dated Dec. 29, 1959 shows a latch formed of an arm fitting in a notch. A cam pivots to push the arm out of the notch, and an arm on the cam has the fish line looped over it so that a fish pulling on the line triggers the unit.
Pastrovich, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,499 dated Nov. 26, 1968 has a middle pivoted arm with the upper arm end having a notch for fitting over a pin holding the pole holder. The opposed end of the arm has a line holder so that pulling on the line releases the notch from the pin to activate the spring biased pole holder.
Gibbons, U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,765 dated July 8, 1969 has an upright trigger around which the fish line is wound, to actuate a train of cams and dogs to release a latch between the pole holder and frame, releasing the spring biased unit to pivot away from the water.
Jacobs U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,701 dated Oct. 24, 1974 shows a pivoted eye, which pivots on a tug from the fish line, and an elongated trigger mounted alongside the pole holding tube. Lost motion eyelet means are necessary for the trigger as it is pivoted on a different pivot than the pole tube.
Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,090 dated Oct. 2, 1973 includes a long trigger which extends above the pole from the frame and the fish line is held in a hook on the end of the trigger. The trigger is pivoted laterally by the line to move the trigger out of a laterally position U-form bracket.
Encinias U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,794 dated Sept. 3, 1974 uses a bail on the pole tube which is pivoted in a peripheral frame. A trigger with a hook holds a mouse trap type spring loaded bail which flips over when the trigger is released to release the spring biased pole tube permitting it to pivot upwardly.
De Julio U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,109 dated Sept. 24, 1974 uses a pivoted wire hook that is moved over a pin mounted on the pole tube. A fish line looped over the wire hook pulls it off the pin releasing the spring biased pole tube.
Koboza U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,894 dated Oct. 24, 1975 uses a jointed arm to hold the pole tube in straightened position and release the tube when bent. The movement of the pole releases the arm.
Each of the prior art references require the use of two hands to "cock" the pole holder, and secure the latching mechanism, making its use difficult for handicaps, elderly, etc.
3. The Present Invention
The present invention provides an improvement in automatic fishing devices by providing a latch and trigger assembly which permits cocking and latching the pole tube with one hand, and provides a positive latch release on a pull from the fish line mounted around the trigger. The latch is lightly spring loaded, latch plate with a pin hole, and the trigger is rigidly secured to and pivots with the latch plate. A latch pin with a sloped latching surface is mounted on the pole holder in position to mate the pin with latch plate whereby the sloped pin surface, on depressing the pole tube toward the latch plate, mates with a sloped surface on the latch plate, displacing the latch plate so that the pin enters the holding hole. When in cocked position, a tug on the fish line looped over the trigger pivots the latch plate releasing the pole holder.